Friday Fodder | It’s Been a Good Week

Honorable Mention Award | Readers’ Favorite 2015

Whenever something you’ve written garners a little recognition, it’s a good thing. Getting another nod from Readers’ Favorite made my week, as Baseball Girl was a project I worked on for three years. Seeing it earn an award in the category of Sports Fiction made me happy, too. Moreover, I’m blessed to have so many friends and family supporters who not only encourage me to write, but also share the news and are genuinely pleased for me. When you sweat over a project for as long as I did (and for some people even longer), when you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into it, and when you make other sacrifices to complete the project, there’s a quiet satisfaction that comes from it. Receiving recognition just makes it that much sweeter.

For those of you who are toiling with writing and aren’t sure if you can see it through to fruition, here’s my advice: stay the course. You may come up against some criticism or naysayers, but ultimately, it’s your work. If you believe in it, give it all you’ve got. Massage it, play with it, rework it, edit it, and then, do something with it. Whether you send your book out to agents and publishers or decide to tackle publishing on your own, you have the final say. And no one can take that away from you.

Teaching Sports Communication

It’s only Week Two, but I’m thoroughly enjoying teaching a new course in Sports Communication. At Stevenson University, the Business Communication faculty takes turns rotating the 400-level Special Topics courses that we offer. In the past, I have taught special topics courses in both Advertising (which became part of our curriculum) and Local Travel Writing (which was so much fun). This year, in both fall and spring semesters, I have the wonderful job of getting to talk about my life in baseball at the Orioles and not feel badly about it. We’re not just talking baseball in there, however; so far, we have covered sports communication in general and how communication is the integral part of sports; jobs in sports communication and how to network; and we just started talking about the history of sports, from journalism’s early Pioneer Period up through muckraking, the Penny Press, and new journalism. When you get to mention names like William Randolph Hearst and Babe Ruth in the same breath, you know you’re teaching a course that will offer a lot of meaning to these students of communication.

Plus, in what other course can view a YouTube video of Cal Ripken’s 2131 history-making evening during the 20th anniversary week, show the 18-minute standing ovation, and watch your students get a few chills as they experience for the first time what that incredible moment was all about?

The Postcard & Other Short Stories & Poetry & An Event Planning Textbook
You’re going to have to give me a little pass on The Postcard project. I know I said it would be ready by late summer, but it’s not going to be ready until right before the holidays. There is good reason for this delay, however. My colleagues and I—Dr. Leeanne Bell McManus and Chip Rouse—have been incredibly busy putting the finishing touches on our textbook that will be published later this year by Kendall-Hunt. Our textbook is entitled Event Planning: Communicating Theory & Practice. We began writing it in July of 2014 and finished editing our last chapter about a month ago. We are presently working on the Instructor’s Edition, and have a deadline of next weekend. People have asked me if I’ve enjoyed the process. I’ll admit–this is one of the most arduous projects I’ve been associated with to date (I’m not a trained researcher). However, it’s been incredibly rewarding. I can’t wait to see the textbook and hold it in my hands. We are all very proud of our work, and hope future students will enjoy reading about event planning and communication’s role in it.

As for The Postcard, I will begin the final editing process once the textbook is put to bed.

Thanks, as always, for your support and for following my writing endeavors.